Home For The Holidays
by MeanRunt
Summary: Nick and Natalie Go home for the Christmas holidays ... with a twist ... and a bit of magic ...


**Forever Knight**

**Home for the Holidays**

Toronto Metro Chief Coroner Natalie Lambert sat at her desk and idly twirled her pencil through her fingers. The holidays in the Toronto Morgue were either the busiest time of the year, or the slowest. Christmas Eve was the worst. Fortunately, this year, it was the latter. No business at all. The place was ... excuse the pun ... dead.

There had been no cases all week except for a few routine autopsies performed on persons who had died without medical assistance. While no death is by any means inconsequential, these were hardly worth mentioning except that an autopsy was required by law to verify the cause of death. Mr. Thompson, 58, had suffered a massive heart attack and was dead before he hit the floor ... Mrs. Hodgekiss, 86 and nearly blind, had fallen down a flight of stairs and broken her neck ... James Vulatich, 23, was struck down as he darted into the street from between two parked cars right into the path of a semi.

The ever multiplying mound of paperwork was well below a manageable level. In fact, there wasn't anything at all in her IN box. Or in Grace Balthazar, her assistant's. Or in any of the other coroner's baskets for that matter. Every last "I" had been dotted and every last "T" was crossed. Every folder had been completed, reviewed, and filed in its proper cabinet. All of the medical supplies had been cleaned, inventoried, packed, and stored.

Even the Christmas decorations had been retrieved from storage, assembled when necessary, sorted, hung, strung, and o-oh-ed and a-ah-ed over.

There was nothing left to do.

She supposed she could book off early, but where would she go? Except for Sidney, there was no one to spend the holidays with. Grace had volunteered to work day shift and she was leaving immediately after it was over to spend Christmas with her brother in Hamilton. Sarah and Amy were planning to go to her mother's in Buffalo. They said they'd stop by on their way back, but that wouldn't be until after New Years Day. Even Mrs. Rabinowicz, her gossipy next door neighbor was spending Hanukkah with her cousin Solly in New Jersey

Nick hadn't even mentioned anything about the holidays, but that wasn't anything new for him. She knew from past experience that this time of year was hard on him. He frequently mentioned that he considered himself an outsider looking in. As "One of the damned" ... his words, not anyone else's ... he felt that he had no right to celebrate the birth of a Savior when he believed he was not worth saving.

She took a rubber band and using it as a slingshot, propelled the pencil into the tile of the ceiling above her. There it joined the dozen or so other pencils sticking out of a bullseye that someone with way too much time on their hands had painted on it. ( Not bad. Less than a half inch from dead center. )

"I wonder if the people over in the 96th are faring any better." She mused.

& & & & & &

Detective Nicholas B. Knight looked around the bullpen. Most of the desks were empty. Their occupants had taken off to be with their families. One of the reasons he had volunteered to work the holidays was so they could be with their loved ones. Thankfully, this one wasn't a busy holiday season.

There had been only one call in the past week, and it was for all purposes a false alarm. Lillian Hodgekiss, 86, had been found in her house by the visiting nurse when she arrived for Mrs. Hodgekiss's daily checkup. She was lying at the bottom of the stairs in a pool of blood. Further investigation, backed by the Coroner's report, revealed that the elderly woman had apparently become disoriented in the middle of the night and had mistakenly turned to the stairwell instead of the bathroom. Everyone agreed there was no foul play involved and the case was closed. Total time of investigation: six and one half hours.

He wadded a piece of paper and balanced it on the end of a ruler. Using the stapler as a fulcrum, he propelled it neatly thorough the three straws fastened into an "H" and taped to the sides of his out box. Although there were no reports in the box, it was filled with wads of paper.

As much as he hated paperwork, there was nothing else to do. It was amazing how fast he was able to get the seemingly insurmountable backlog of forms and reports filled out ... in triplicate ... signed and filed.

Captain Cohen would have been proud of him, but she and Bernie and the girls were visiting her in-laws in Halifax for the season. Schanke had taken Myra and Jenny to Disneyland. Janette was in Paris. Even LaCroix had left town ... "on business". He was for all intents, alone.

He supposed he could go and pay a visit the Coroner's office, even though there was no logical reason to do so. He had no outstanding cases for a change. But then, when did he really need an excuse to see the lovely Coroner?

"She's almost certainly up to her elbows in work. Maybe even literally." He rationalized. "That is if she's even there. My guess is that she probably caught the redeye to Vancouver to spend Christmas with her sister in law and her niece. At least that's what she did last year. Even if she didn't go, the last thing she needs right now is me in her hair and underfoot. There's probably hundreds of things she can do besides spend Christmas Eve with a sourpuss like me."

Sighing heavily, he picked up another piece of paper, wadded it into a ball and placed it on the end of the ruler. Another field goal. Three more points.

It was going to be a l-o-o-ong watch.

& & & & & &

Natalie propped her head in her hands and yawned deeply. Although there were many times when she was the only coroner on duty, she had never noticed how quiet the place was. There was usually something to do. People coming in and out. Phones ringing. Etc. Now there was only silence. Now she was alone. Grace would be in at 8 AM to reliever her. But that was still five hours away. Natalie was convinced that she could not last that long.

"I wonder how Nick is going to celebrate the holidays? Probably sitting alone and brooding in that ... what did Schanke call it ... Oh yes, that high tech dungeon of doom of his." She mumbled. "Even after four years as his doctor ... and his friend ... " For some reason the words sounded like the lie they were. They were MUCH more than friends. But she had to keep telling herself that. There was no way they could even begin to act on their feelings. " ... I know so much ... about him, but I really don't know that much about ... him. What was it like when he was a mortal? How did he celebrate Christmas then?" Slowly, her heavy eyes closed and her head drifted toward the desk top.

& & & & & &

Nick Knight closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. He let his thoughts drift back to another Christmas. A happy and joyous Christmas ... A long ago Christmas ... ( If only I could share it with Natalie ... )

& & & & & &

**Brabant 1220**

The rumbling of the carriage jolted Natalie out of her dozing. ( This isn't right. I'm supposed to be in my office. What am I doing in a medieval coach? And dressed like this? ) She looked curiously at her dress. The beige brocade linen long gown was covered by what looked like a deep green velvet fur trimmed cloak. From what little Natalie knew of middle ages fashions, her outfit spoke of wealth and nobility. ( I know what's going on! This is a dream! It has to be a dream! That's the only logical explanation! )

Another jolt, this time much harder than before, and the carriage careened to a stop, tilting at a perilous angle over a culvert that ran alongside the road. As Natalie picked herself up off the floor, the driver carefully opened the door and helped her out of the coach.

"I am sorry, My Lady." He said almost apologetically. "We hit a very deep rut and I'm afraid that the wheel is unrepairable." He pointed to the right rear wheel, which had almost a quarter of the rim and numerous spokes either broken or missing altogether. "We passed through a village about a half hour ago. If I remember correctly, they have a blacksmith there. I could go for help, but what about you? You cannot be expected to walk that far. Especially in this cold weather."

Natalie knew that the man was not speaking English, but she easily understood him. She remembered enough of her high school French to recognize it as probable medieval French. On the occasions when she had heard Nick speaking French, he told her he was actually speaking in Brabantese, his mortal dialect. The driver had much the same accent as Nick.

"I can stay here." Natalie replied in the same language. Somehow it seemed like her native tongue. ( This is certainly the craziest dream I've ever had. )

"But you will surely freeze to death, My Lady. It gets very cold here once the sun sets. I cannot take that chance."

"Go ahead. Go!" She demanded. ( What good is it to be nobility if you can't flaunt it? Even if it is only in a dream. ) "I will be all right." She said with more bravado than she felt. Despite her warm cloak, the cold was already beginning to get to her. "I can stay in the coach until you return."

"And if it tilts any further ... " The driver said. "Even the slightest movement will surely tip it over."

She had a mental image of the coach falling into the ditch with her trapped inside. "You have a point there. So we're at an impasse. You cannot leave me here, and you cannot go for help unless you do."

& & & & & &

Nicholas de Brabant gently nudged his horse, Esprelibre to a slow gallop. He liked this season. The sky was a myriad of vivid colors as the giant orange ball that was the sun made its way to the horizon. The crisp winter air invigorated him and the steam from his breath hung in the air like miniature cloud. The snow on the ground crunched beneath his horse's hooves. He guided the sleek black stallion along the road to Castle Brabant. He knew that Maman and Fleur would be waiting for him.

Suddenly, he reined to a stop. Ahead of him, a carriage sat leaning at an unsteady angle over the edge of a deep trench. On the road beside it, a woman and her driver were arguing rather loudly.

"May I be of any assistance?" He asked as he pulled alongside the coach.

"Please. Monsieur. Any help would be appreciated." Natalie said. She looked up and stared at the blond haired man before her. ( It can't be him! But it was him! NICK! Then again, I did want to see what Christmas was like in his time. This is ridiculous! But it is a dream after all. )

Nicholas swallowed hard. ( NATALIE! This is absurd! She shouldn't be here! What is she doing in my fantasy? She's never been in any of my fantasies of this time before. But on the other hand, I did wish I could show her how I celebrated Christmas as a mortal. )

"If you could stay with her, My Lord, while I go into town and get the blacksmith to come out and fix the wheel, I would most grateful." The driver entreated.

"If I may make a suggestion, Nat ... I mean My Lady." He hastily corrected himself. "I could take you to the manor. Then I will send my stable master with the necessary equipment to bring the coach in."

"That would be very kind of you, Nick ... ah, My Lord." Natalie quickly amended.

Nicholas dismounted and helped Natalie mount and then practically leapt up behind her. He spurred Esprelibre to a canter.

"So." Natalie said as they rode to the manor. "I caught that slip. You obviously know who I am."

Nicholas nodded. "And you know me, too. But how is that possible? You've never been in any of my dreams before."

"But I'm not in ... your dream. You're ... in my dream."

"You don't think we're ... I mean I've heard of weirder things before ... It's just a theory, but is it likely that ... What I'm trying to say is could we actually be ... "

"Now I know for sure that you're Nicholas Knight. Only Nick could talk that much without saying anything."

"Could it be possible we're in a shared dream?"

"It's theoretically possible. I've heard of such things, but it is very difficult to prove conclusively. There's no empirical evidence to support the theory. And there are so many variables that have to be taken into account. But enough people have reported being in them to suggest that it is conceivable that shared dreams do exist."

"That settles it. There's no doubt. You're definitely Natalie Lambert. You've got to have a logical reason for everything. Why even try to analyze it? Let's just accept whatever this is for whatever this is, and enjoy it."

Natalie smiled. "I think I can do that." She studied him for a moment. "You know, you look different than the Nick Knight I know. Younger, if that's possible."

"I am younger. At least I should be." He replied. "Since it is daylight and I am out in it, it's fairly obvious that I'm still mortal ... I usually am in my fantasies of this time ... I left for the Crusades in the spring of 1221 and when I returned to Brabant in 1229, I was a vampire. I'm not sure how, but I know this is Twelfth Night, so that means that it's probably December 13, 1220. That would make me ... "

"Now who's analyzing something to death?" She asked playfully.

"Touche."

At the edge of a clearing, he stopped and pointed to a structure in the distance. "There it is. My home. Castle Brabant."

Natalie stared open mouthed at the sight before her. She had seen pictures of medieval castles, principally English castles. They tended to be drab gray stone structures. In contrast, Castle Brabant was nothing like that. The walls were smooth and white, possibly polished limestone, and the trim was done in a bright red. The main structure had to cover at least two acres. It was massive, yet at the same time delicate looking with numerous spires and turrets. Every one flew a red and white checkered flag with the Brabant crest emblazoned on it. The entrance was guarded with the prerequisite moat and drawbridge. Scattered around the main building were several outbuildings constructed in the same delicate looking manner as the main building. The road leading up to the castle was at least a carefully tended half mile long. With the snow on the ground and the setting sun gleaming off it, Castle Brabant shone like something Disney would have created. It was indeed a fairy tale castle.

"It's beautiful!" She gasped.

"It's home." Nick responded as he nudged Esprelibre onward.

& & & & & &

Once inside the walls, Nick reined Esprelibre to a halt at the stables and explained to the stable master about the wrecked carriage. Once that was done, he escorted Natalie to the main house.

Two women ... one older and one not even into her teens ... stood in the entrance. Behind them, several others, most probably servants, stood at the ready

Nick embraced the women, the older one first, and then the younger one. They were obviously his mother and sister. Nick had only mentioned them briefly to Natalie.

"And who is your guest, my son?" The older one asked.

"I am sorry, Maman. I have forgotten my manners." He took Natalie's hands and held them to his mother. "This is ... This is Natalie ... The Lady Natalie Lambert." He gave her name the French pronunciation. "Her carriage broke down a few leagues from here, and I took the liberty of bringing her with me while the carriage is being repaired." He looked at Natalie. "This is my mother, Lady Catherine de Brabant, and that little pest beside her is my sister, Fleur."

Fleur de Brabant stuck out her tongue at her brother.

Catherine de Brabant smiled and took Natalie's hands in hers. "You are welcome here, My Lady Lambert. Will you consider staying the night? I do not believe your carriage will be repaired anytime soon. Even if it is, it is not a good thing for a woman alone to be on the roads after dark."

"Besides, it is time for the Christmas festivities to begin." Fleur added excitedly. "You cannot even think of leaving without participating in them. Starting tonight, there are all sorts of parties and pageants. Tonight, we put up the decorations in the great hall. Nicholas gets to place the star at the top of the stairs. After that is done, there will be a grand party with singing and dancing. It will be a truly gala night. Please, My Lady Lambert. You must stay." She practically begged. "I am going to be eleven in January and Maman has permitted me to join in the festivities for the very first time this year. Didn't you Maman?"

"Fleur!" Madame de Brabant scolded. "Do not be such a chatterbox! The Lady Lambert must be tired after her trip. At least let her rest before supper." She motioned to one of the servants behind her. "Elsmere. Prepare the Lavender Room for our guest and see to her needs."

"And where are your bags, my Lady Natalie?" Elsmere asked.

"... In the carriage." Natalie lied. She said a fervent prayer that whatever the magic that had brought her to this time and place had also provided her with the appropriate luggage.

Just then the stable master and another servant came in carrying two large ornate wooden travel crates. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief and whispered a silent prayer of thanks to the angels who watch after children, fools, and dreaming coroners.

Elsmere curtsied and hurried off to begin her chore.

The stable master whispered something in Nicholas's ear. Nicholas pointed to Natalie and told the man to repeat it.

"I fear that your carriage is beyond a quick repair, My Lady. The wheel is a complete loss, and the axle has also been broken. Even under normal circumstances it would take several days to repair. Since this is the Christmas time, it will be most difficult to get the necessary parts and supplies. I would estimate it will take a week or longer to put it back in condition for you to safely continue your journey."

"See to it that it is fixed properly, Robere." Nicholas said to the stable master.

"Yes, My Lord." Robere answered.

"Remember. This is the holiday season." Nicholas whispered. "Do not overwork yourself ... or your staff." He smiled at his stable master. "If you follow what I am saying."

"Yes, My Lord." Robere grinned and winked knowingly at his master.

& & & & & &

Natalie looked open mouthed at her chambers. The Lavender Room was huge. Natalie estimated that her entire apartment ... living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and hall ... could easily fit in it and still have space left over. A huge fireplace stood between two floor-to-ceiling leaded glass paned windows, and a mammoth carved four poster bed faced it. Three ornate, possibly oriental rugs graced the floor. Grouped on each of the rugs were conversation spaces with comfortable chairs and tables. To the left of the bed was an area set off with three delicate lattice wood screens. Obviously for a dressing area.

The room lived up to its name. The walls were covered with an ivory cloth woven with a delicate flower pattern in various shades of purple, violet and lavender. Heavy drapes were of the same design, as was the duvet and the canopy of the huge bed. The chairs were upholstered in a darker beige fabric, but with the same pattern.

Natalie sat at one of the tables and began to take the myriad of combs and pins out of her hair. ( Apparently my magic angels have thought of everything. )

Elsmere came behind her and began to remove the fastenings. "Allow me, My Lady." She said.

"That's all right." Natalie said. "I can do it. Don't you have something else to do?"

"No, My Lady." Elsmere replied. "You heard what My Lady Catherine said. My task is to serve you. Especially since you do not have a retinue of your own."

( No retinue. One demerit for the angels. ) "Forgive my asking, but are you by any chance ... a serf?"

"Oh No, My Lady." Elsmere quickly replied. "I am a freewoman. I am one of Lady Catherine's retinue."

"But I thought that all of the servants were serfs. If you are a freewoman, why do you stay here?"

"In many of the castles in the area it is true that the servants are serfs, but here at Castle Brabant ... it is not. There are no slaves or serfs here. Most of the staff are free men and women. The rest are indentured servants. When their bond is worked off, they will be free to leave, but very few take advantage of that privilege.

According to the stories I was told as a child, my great great grandfather was an indentured bondsman to Lord Henri, the second Grand Duke de Brabant. He was his personal manservant. Lord Henri was so kind and gracious to him that when he had worked off his bond, he decided to stay on as a paid servant. Eventually he rose to the position of Chief Steward. My family has worked at Castle Brabant ever since.

My parents died of the fever when I was ten. Lord Girard and Lady Catherine took me into the household. They have been like a mother and father to me. Fleur and Lord Nicholas are like the siblings I never had. Because of this, I could not even think to leave them."

Natalie sat for a few moments contemplating what Elsmere had told her. She now knew where the compassionate and caring part of his personality came from.

"Come, Lady Natalie. It is almost time for supper." Elsmere said. "Behind the screen there is a basin and towels. You may use them to wash with before eating. Lady Catherine insists on cleanliness. While you do that, I will unpack and lay out your clothes."

& & & & & &

"So, my son." Catherine de Brabant said to her son as they sat in the living room. "How long have you known the Lady Lambert? And don't try to tell me that you just met her earlier today."

"Why, Maman." Nicholas said, unsuccessfully trying not to blush. "I do not know what you are talking about."

"Nicholas! I am your mother. I bore you. I raised you. I have seen you when you are ... how shall I put it delicately ... enamored of a woman. You have that same look about you now. And I will wager that it is because of Natalie ...the Lady Lambert." She smiled knowingly. "You weren't quite as careful to cover your slip of the tongue as you thought you were."

"You are right, Maman. I have known her for quite some time now. We met a few years ago during my travels." ( At least I will meet her 770 years from now. ) "I had lost contact with her until earlier tonight. It was a total surprise to find her on the road to Brabant." ( At least that part isn't a lie. )

"You have known her ... Or have you KNOWN her?"

"MAMAN!" He said indignantly.

"You are right, Nicholas. That was not an appropriate thing to ask."

"We are ... just friends, Maman." ( I hope she believes that lie, because it's becoming harder and harder for me to believe it. )

( And I am the Grand High Duchess of the Holy Empire. ) "Since your father died two years ago, you are now the Lord of the Manor. Maybe it's time you thought about settling down and raising the next generation of Brabants. I know you must leave soon for the Holy Land, but ...

Just then, a servant came to announce that supper was served.

( Saved by the bell. ) Nicholas took his mother's arm to escort her to the dining room.

& & & & & &

Natalie pushed away from the table. At least this part of what she had read about medieval feasts was true. Even though there were twenty or so people at the supper table, there had been more than enough food to go around, and the variety had amazed her. There were numerous kinds of meats, both wild and domestic, in addition to several kinds of fish. The meal also included vegetables of all kinds. There were a few things on the table that Natalie could not identify, but she sampled them just the same. Desserts and breads seemed to be never ending. Wine flowed ...proverbially ... like water. She was sure she had gained at least ten pounds. ( Thank goodness this is a dream. )

Nicholas sat across the table and stared lovingly at Natalie. ( She is truly beautiful. If only we ... But why can't we ... This is a dream, after all. In it, we are both mortal. There is no reason ... )

Natalie caught her breath as she saw the look in Nicholas's eyes. ( He is incredibly handsome. If I read the looks he is giving me correctly, he ... But that can never be ... But then, this is a dream after all. Maybe ... )

Catherine de Brabant watched her son and the lady. ( ... And he says they are nothing more than friends. That is not the look one gives to a friend. Perhaps this might be the lady ... )

& & & & & &

Nicholas placed the huge gold metal star at the top of the grand staircase. Nearly everything in the hall had been festooned with garlands, flowers and ribbons of every description. Now, the Christmas season at Castle Brabant had officially begun. A cheer went up and the minstrels began serenading the people gathered in the great hall. For the next twelve days, there would be celebrations and parties, not only for the nobility and gentry, but for the common folk as well. All this culminated with Christmas Midnight Mass in Brabant Cathedral.

Nicholas went to Natalie. "My Lady." He said bowing to her. "Would you do me the honor of this dance?"

"But I don't know how." Natalie whispered.

"Simple. It is a slow number. I'll whisper the instructions. All you have to do is ... " He weaved and bobbed a few times. " ... follow the bouncing Knight."

"Why not?" She whispered back. She curtsied and placed her hand on his and they headed for the middle of the hall. She was amazed to find that after only a few whispered instructions, she was able to do the steps quite well, almost as though she had been doing them for some time. ( Another prayer of thanks to her magic angel. )

& & & & & &

Natalie sat on the stone bench in the courtyard. The party that followed the decorating of the great hall was everything that Fleur had said it would be. Fleur, unfortunately had given out shortly after the festivities began, and Elsmere had half led, half carried the groggy, protesting young lady to her quarters.

It was indeed a gala affair with singers, dancers, jugglers and other performers of all kind to provide entertainment. Nicholas was a skilled dancer, and although "Doctor" Natalie Lambert was only a fair dancer, "Lady" Natalie Lambert proved to be well versed in the dance. She was without question the belle of the ball. Although Nicholas took up most of her time, she was never at a loss for partners.

Suddenly, she was aware that someone was standing behind her. She turned just as Nicholas came beside her.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I saw you sitting out here in the garden from my room, and I wondered if anything was wrong." He sat beside her.

"No nothing is wrong. I was just sitting here enjoying the quiet that comes just before the dawn." Suddenly, she jumped up. "You had better get inside. You shouldn't be out here. It's much too close to sunrise." There was a definite note of panic in her voice.

"Why shouldn't I be out here?" He gave a little laugh as he stood. "The sun cannot harm me. This is a fantasy after all. In my fantasies I am mortal." His face became serious. "Speaking of mortal. I am mortal. You are mortal ... " He took a deep breath. "Nat." Another breath. "I have a confession to make. I have loved you from the first moment I awoke on your table. I have been afraid to say anything about how I felt because I knew that our love could never be. I would have killed you if I tried to act on my feelings. But here, there is no danger. I ... "

"Oh, Nick. I think I have been in love with you from the same moment. I suspected you felt the same way too, but because of what you are, I knew you couldn't say or do anything about it. Because of that, I couldn't very well admit my feelings without causing you considerable emotional pain. You are right, though. Here and now there are no barriers to our feelings." She leaned into him and their kiss started out gently, but increased in passion with each passing second.

Without breaking the embrace, Nick gently picked her up and started for the door.

From her second story window, Madame Catherine de Brabant watched her son and his lady head for to the door. "I was right. She is the one." She murmured approvingly.

& & & & & &

Nicholas sat on his elbow and stared at the gorgeous creature lying beside him. The morning sun streaming in the windows of his room turned the auburn highlights in her hair into streaks of burnished fire. He sighed heavily as he brushed a stray curl from her forehead.

Slowly, Natalie opened her eyes and returned Nicholas's glances. There was a satisfied smile on her face. "Last night was fantastic." She whispered. "So much more than I ever imagined it would be. I wish this dream would last forever."

"So do I." He said sadly. "But let's not think about that now. Let's just enjoy it while it exists."

"But ... " Her protest was cut short by Nicholas's lips on hers.

& & & & & &

"Elsmere." Catherine de Brabant called as the girl passed by her parlor.

"Yes, My Lady." Elsmere said, curtsying.

"You have been attending to the Lady Natalie since she arrived, have you not?"

"Yes, My Lady"

"And you have been keeping her quarters clean and tidy."

"Yes, My Lady."

"Tell me. Has she been sleeping in her bed every night?"

Elsmere studied her shoes intently. "No, My Lady." She said softly, barely above a whisper.

"I thought not." ( After what I saw in the garden the other night, I would have been very surprised if she had been sleeping there. )

"Please, my Lady. Do not be too harsh on Lady Natalie. She is very enamored of Lord Nicholas." Elsmere practically begged. "And he of her."

Catherine smiled knowingly. "I will not be harsh on either one of them, Elsmere. I am aware of my son's feelings for the lady. And you have just confirmed that my suspicions about Lady Natalie are correct as well."

"What will you do, My Lady?"

"You will see."

& & & & & &

Nicholas reined Espelibre to a halt at the top of a small knoll. Natalie also reined her horse, Belledame, a silky chestnut mare, beside him. Again, she had ridden a little when she was in college, but not since. Here in her dream, she rode like it was second nature. Nicholas dismounted and helped her off her horse. He helped her spread a blanket and set out the things in the picnic basket that Cook had prepared for them.

"Natalie." He said as they were finishing their lunch. "There is something that ... that ... I've wanted to for so long ... And the past few days have been so ... I mean I ... I know that this is only a dream, but ... "

"Nicholas de Brabant Knight!" Natalie said, playfully slapping him across the back. "I am fully aware that this is a dream. And if you don't stop hemming and hawing and stammering, I'm going to pinch myself and wake myself up." She folded her arms across her chest defiantly. "Then where will you be?"

"Okay." He breathed deeply. ( Here goes nothing. ) He reached inside his tunic and took out a small brown velvet pouch. He opened it and extracted a gold filigree ring set with alternating tiny rubies and diamonds. He knelt beside her and loudly cleared his throat.

"Natalie Ann Lambert. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Will I WHAT?" She desperately tried to suppress a giggle that refused to be suppressed.

He hung his head. "You're right. It is a ridiculous thought. I knew you'd laugh. Forget I said anything." He looked like a cross between a puppy that had been whipped for piddling on the floor and a child who had just been told there was no Santa Claus.

( So he had that look even as a mortal. ) "Oh, Nick!" She put her arms around him and held him tight. "I wasn't laughing at your proposing to me. I was caught off guard because it was so sudden. It is not ridiculous. It's beautiful."

"I know we can never be together in real life, but here we can be man and wife." He sighed deeply. "Like we are supposed to be. Perhaps like we will someday truly be."

"But we can't be man and wife in this time. I mean ... Wouldn't that change the course of history in some way?"

"Natalie. This is a dream. A fantasy. Nothing that happens here is real. It is all in our subconscious minds. Nothing we do here can possibly alter reality in any way. When we wake up, it will be as if it never happened at all. Because it won't have happened. In the real world, I will go to the crusades. I will still become a vampire in 1228, and you won't be born until1971."

"In that case, Yes."

"I know we don't have forever. Maybe only a few days or even only a few hours. But I want to spend them with you."

"Yes, Nick. I will marry you."

"And I can ... " He stopped suddenly as her words sunk in. "You WILL!!!" The grin threatened to split his face.

"Yes. I will."

& & & & & &

"My Lady Catherine has requested that both of you meet with her in her parlor as soon as you return." Robere said as Nick and Natalie returned to the castle.

"I wonder what this is about." Natalie asked as they headed toward the private quarters of Lady de Brabant. "You don't think she knows ... "

"I learned as a very small child never to try and second guess my mother. Whatever it is, we shall know soon enough." Nick hugged her tightly and took her left hand and kissed the ring on her third finger.

& & & & & &

"You wished to see us, Maman?" Nicholas said hesitantly from the entrance to the parlor. Natalie was beside him.

"Yes, Nicholas … Lady Natalie. Come in." Catherine de Brabant smiled softly as her son and his lady came into the room. They both had a look on their faces as though they were going to the gallows. Catherine thought about swiftly ending their misery. ( No. Let them stew in their own juices for a while. ) She thought devilishly.

She stared at the two of them for what seemed like an eternity. "It has come to my attention that the two of you have been acting in a most inappropriate manner. You have been seen publicly embracing and leaving the grounds without proper chaperones." ( As well as a few other things. ) "This must stop. I will not tolerate it. Is that clear?" She said sternly. Then she noticed the ring on Natalie's finger. ( He beat me to the punch. ) She bit the inside of her lip to keep the smile from coming out.

"Maman." Nicholas said. "Our behavior is not inappropriate for a betrothed couple is it?" He held Natalie's left hand so that his mother could get a closer look.

"No ... I ... " This time the smile did come out. "We must begin plans for a wedding immediately. I know it is short notice, but if you are to spend any time with your new wife before you leave for the crusades, we had better make it as soon as possible." Her eyes took on a conspiratorial twinkle. "Traditionally, the Banns of Marriage are usually published for three Sundays, but technically they only have to be published three times. If I contact Pere Augustien immediately, he can have the first Banns up by tomorrow evening. The rest of the arrangements will only require a few modifications to what we have already planned for the Holidays." She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. I think we can count on a Christmas wedding."

"A Christmas wedding?" Nick looked at his mother wide eyed.

"Of course. As I said, you do want to spend as much time with your wife as possible before you leave, don't you?"

Already her head was filling with plans and possible contacts ... Most of the people who would have to be invited would already be here for the holidays. The wedding would take place in the Cathedral. Pere Augustien would preside. Naturally, the reception would be in the great hall ... She had to get with Cook about the wedding cake ... And the musicians. They did not refer to her as the matchmaker for nothing.

The next few days were filled with excitement. There were nightly rounds of parties to celebrate the upcoming Christmas ... Natalie learned that the "Twelve Days Of Christmas" did in fact have its roots in a very real custom.

Word had spread about the upcoming nuptials, and it seemed as though everyone in the entire area was excited and wanted to help. The date was finally agreed upon as December 28.

Since she knew no one here, Natalie decided that, despite her protests, Elsmere would be her Maid of Honor. True to her name, Fleur was to be the flower girl, and Nicholas's cousin Armand would be the ring bearer. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were to be selected from Nicholas's friends. Since her "Uncle" could not be there to give her away, Lord Julian de Sorte, Lady Catherine's brother volunteered to be "Father of the Bride."

According to the story Nicholas had told, Natalie had no immediate family, only an impoverished elderly uncle who lived across the great ocean in a country called Canada. It would be impossible for him to make the journey to Brabant in time for the wedding ceremony.

Elsmere, as the Maid of Honor, had taken it upon herself to circulate among the servants and the guilds people and had raised a 'dowry' for her. Since these people weren't among the rich or landed gentry, much of the 'dowry' was other than cash. There were quite a few chickens and geese, a cow, two pigs, and even a puppy. A number of bushels of grains were also donated as well as several casks of 'espiritus fermenti'. Even though Nicholas and Natalie, and even Lady Catherine insisted that a dowry was not necessary, Elsmere was adamant. According to the freewoman, "No self respecting bride could be married without one. Especially not such a high born lady like the Lady Natalie."

There were fittings, showers ... another custom she did not think went back that far ... rehearsals, and some things she barely had time to notice.

The nights, though, she definitely did notice. They were glorious, extraordinarily exhilarating and erotically blissful nights spent with Nicholas. In this area too, Elsmere came to her rescue. Every morning, in addition to laying out Natalie's clothes for the day, she would rumple the bed in the Lavender room to simulate that someone had spent the night there. A few times, Natalie suspected that Elsmere had indulged herself and that she had slept in the bed. Of course, if anyone had noticed anything suspicious, no one made any note of it.

& & & & & &

"Hold still, My Lady" Elsmere scolded as she made another attempt to tame Natalie's hair. It absolutely refused to stay under the intricate headdress that ... according to Elsmere ... 'all proper women wore'. "You will be meeting practically the entire Duchy of Brabant tonight. Everyone goes to Midnight Mass. You do not want them to think ill of their new Grand Duchess, do you?"

"Grand Duchess? Me?"

"Of course. When you marry Lord Nicholas, you will become the Grand Duchess of Brabant. Didn't you know that?"

"But what of Lady Catherine? Isn't she the Grand Duchess?"

"Oh, no, my Lady. The title passes through the males. When Lord Girard was alive, she was the Grand Duchess. Now that she is the widow of Lord Girard, her title now is High Duchess of Brabant. Lord Nicholas is now the Grand Duke, and you as his wife will be the Grand Duchess." Elsmere finally succeeded in putting every last bit of hair under the headdress. "Think of this as a rehearsal for your wedding in three days."

( My wedding. In three days, I'm going to marry Nick. This HAS to be the craziest dream I've ever had. )

& & & & & &

Nicholas stood at the altar in Brabant Cathedral. Jean-Pierre, his cousin and a fellow knight, stood beside him as best man.

"Nicholas." Jean Pierre said to him as Nicholas adjusted his tunic for the hundredth ... or was it the thousandth time. "Do not fidget so. You are not going to the gallows. You are only getting married."

"Only getting married?" Nicholas swallowed hard. "I have loved Natalie for so long. I never thought this day would ever happen."

"Well it is happening now. Will you stop squirming? You weren't this nervous when you were knighted at the Cathedral in Rheims."

"That was different. I wasn't marrying the Cardinal."

"And you're still not marrying the Cardinal."

Nicholas gave his cousin a withering glare.

Natalie stood in the foyer of the church. She had the traditional bride's provisions. Apparently this too, went back into olden times. Something old. Lady Catherine had given Natalie her wedding gown, and with only a few minor alterations, it had fit perfectly. Something new. The veil had been sewn by the castle seamstresses especially for the occasion. Something borrowed. One of the ladies of the court had lent her the silver and diamond tiara. Something blue. She wound a blue linen handkerchief tightly in her hands. She glanced at Elsmere, her reluctant maid of honor.

"I still say you should have chosen one of Lady Catherine's Ladies in Waiting for your maid of honor." Elsmere said. "It isn't proper to have a common woman in such a position of honor."

"I don't care what you say. You're my maid of honor and that's all there is to it. I don't know any of Lady Catherine's Ladies. I do know you, Elsmere. As far as I am concerned, you are anything but common. You are my friend, and I can think of no one who deserves the honor more than you."

Elsmere smiled broadly and blushed deeply. "Thank you, my lady. I will do everything I can to live up to your expectations of me."

Just then, the trumpets sounded and with great ceremony and flourishes, the musicians began the entrance march. Fleur started first, scattering multi colored flower petals along the white carpet. Natalie watched as the rest of the party started down the main aisle to the altar. Then it was her turn. Lord Julian held out his arm and Natalie put her hand on his. She swallowed and ordered her stomach back into her abdomen where it belonged instead of just beneath her throat where it threatened to take up permanent residence.

The altar seemed to be a mile away. Then she saw him, standing there waiting for her. His legs were encased in black tights. Over them, he had a formal light blue tunic edged in gold that came to mid thigh and was cinched with a broad gold belt. On the upper left part of the tunic was a red and white checkered patch with the Brabant crest on it. On his head he wore a gold jewel encrusted coronet that blended almost perfectly into his blond hair. Suddenly, everything else blurred out of existence.

He saw her coming toward him. He knew she was wearing his mother's wedding gown. He could almost imagine how his mother had looked when she wore it, but on Natalie it looked like something an angel would wear. The tiara, although it had been borrowed, complimented the gown perfectly. On her, it took on the appearance of a halo. The sun streaming through the stained glass windows surrounded her like an aura. In a few minutes, she would be his. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing else in Brabant Cathedral worth looking at.

Lord Julian gently placed her hand in his and took his seat beside his sister.

"Dearly beloved." Pere Augustien intoned. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of these two persons as man and wife. If there is anyone here who disputes their joining, let him now come forward or forever hold his peace."

For one terrifying second, Natalie half expected Lucien LaCroix to step out from the shadows. ( NO! I won't let myself think that. LaCroix had no place in my fantasy. Or in Nick's. )

"Nicholas de Brabant." Pere Augustien continued. "Do you take Natalie Lambert here present as your lawful and true wife? To have and hold. From this day forward until death do you part?"

"I ... I do."

"And do you Natalie Lambert take Nicholas de Brabant here present as your lawful and true husband? To have and hold. From this day forward until death do you part?"

"I do."

Armand stepped forward and held the blue silk pillow to his cousin. Nick took the diamond and ruby ring from it and gently placed it on her finger. "I, Nicholas take thee Natalie for my true and lawful wife. I will honor you and protect you for the rest of my days."

"As a representative of the Mother Church, I declare that Nicholas and Natalie are husband and wife." Pere Augustien said. "You may kiss the bride."

The kiss started as a chaste one, but within minutes, it had risen in passion. Natalie's head started spinning and her legs turned to rubber. Then, everything stared to slowly fade. ( NO! It can't end! Not now! )

Nicholas gingerly eased his unconscious bride to the cathedral floor. "Natalie." He half cried. "Wake up. Please. It can't end this way. We will be together. I promise. We'll find a way somehow."

& & & & & &

**Present**

"Natalie. Wake up." Grace Balthazar called.

Slowly Natalie opened her eyes. Brabant Cathedral was gone, replaced by her office and instead of Madame de Brabant's wedding gown, she was now dressed in a blouse and pants and lab coat. "Wha ... "

"Girl. Why are you still here?" Grace scolded. "It's nine o'clock on Christmas day and you're supposed to be out of here an hour ago. It's a good thing I came by your office to pick up the Jewson report, or you'd have probably slept Christmas away. You were really out of it. Now. Get out of here and go home before somebody slaps you on a slab and hangs a tag on your toe."

"I just had the craziest dream."

"That's what you get for indulging in too much holiday cheer."

"No, not that kind of a dream, Grace. This wasn't a nightmare. This one was very beautiful. And it was very real."

"Natalie!" Grace's eyes went round as saucers. "Where did that come from? Please tell me it has something to do with a certain blond detective asking a certain question." She pointed to Natalie's left hand.

There, on her third finger was a gold filigree ring set with alternating tiny diamonds and rubies.

In the back of her mind, she heard Nick's voice. "We will be together. I promise. We'll find a way somehow."

& & & & & &

**The end?**

**Not as long as there's magic in Christmas**


End file.
